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Step 10Add the Hydroton to the Grow Bed
Put a screen around the bell, an inch or so off. Little rocks clogging the intake will cause a flood. Or they get sucked down into the fish tank. Fill the Grow Bed with Hydroton, 1/2" above the maximum water level.
Do another fill test while watching. Rocks are heavier than water, though Hydroton is pretty close to neutrally buoyant. The grow bed may be heavier this time. Try to notice if it falls off the wall or not. Also, make sure that the siphon starts up and stops like it is supposed to.
If the Siphon starts slurping at the end, but does not stop, use the ball valve to slow the water addition into the Grow Bed until the Siphon breaks. Monitor the system for a few hours to make sure this doesn't happen to your system.
My initial testing was done without a screen around the Bell - as a result, smaller Hydroton bits were sucked through the siphon and dropped into the fish tank. Eventually, or course, a larger one made the journey, and clogged the standpipe, resulting in a failure to begin or end the siphon.
Use a screen. Mine was pretty easy to make - I used a tall 'fill it yourself' Deli container for olives (about 6" tall, 5" across at the rim, 4" across at the bottom). I drilled a lot of 1/8" holes as close to the rim as possible, to allow water to flow in from the bottom. I cut a hole out of the bottom of the cup large enough to remove the bell, in case the drain pipe gets clogged. It would be MUCH easier to get this in place before you fill the Grow Bed with Hydroton. There can't be any Hydroton inside the screen, or it will eventually get sucked into the Bell and clog the standpipe.
Do another fill test while watching. Rocks are heavier than water, though Hydroton is pretty close to neutrally buoyant. The grow bed may be heavier this time. Try to notice if it falls off the wall or not. Also, make sure that the siphon starts up and stops like it is supposed to.
If the Siphon starts slurping at the end, but does not stop, use the ball valve to slow the water addition into the Grow Bed until the Siphon breaks. Monitor the system for a few hours to make sure this doesn't happen to your system.
My initial testing was done without a screen around the Bell - as a result, smaller Hydroton bits were sucked through the siphon and dropped into the fish tank. Eventually, or course, a larger one made the journey, and clogged the standpipe, resulting in a failure to begin or end the siphon.
Use a screen. Mine was pretty easy to make - I used a tall 'fill it yourself' Deli container for olives (about 6" tall, 5" across at the rim, 4" across at the bottom). I drilled a lot of 1/8" holes as close to the rim as possible, to allow water to flow in from the bottom. I cut a hole out of the bottom of the cup large enough to remove the bell, in case the drain pipe gets clogged. It would be MUCH easier to get this in place before you fill the Grow Bed with Hydroton. There can't be any Hydroton inside the screen, or it will eventually get sucked into the Bell and clog the standpipe.
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I checked out your system - looks pretty good! Thanks for the comments.